Systems and equipment are currently available that allow the capture of photographic or video images with a camera or cellular phone/camera combination, transferring the photo or video to portable memory devices, and then connecting the portable memory device to a computer and saving the image in memory devices which are a part of the computer, with a designated file name for the photo or video being added by the computer operator. The computer operator can also add a caption to the image, and it can be posted to a website or transmitted over computer linkages to other parties. Available equipment can also provide a legend on the images of the date and time of the image, if the equipment is pre-programmed to do so by the user.
The prior art includes several examples of methods to provide the sender the capability to prove both the dispatch, the receipt, and the contents of material sent electronically as well as to protect the information received by the recipient so that it is resistant to tampering or modification or at least indicates that the information has been modified from that original sent. These techniques may also include encryption so that only authorized recipients are allowed to view the transmitted information. U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,219 to Feldbau et al. is one example of such a data transmission scheme. U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,564 to Olkin et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,184 to Hind et al. are examples of secure email systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,226 to Wang et al. is directed to a system to facilitate the capture, processing, and archiving of user interactive events which may appear as a screen image on devices within a communications network such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or personal computer (PC). The user can interact with the device directing that a captured image, which is stored in the device or transferred to a designated remote server device, may include words or phrases, highlighted portions of the image, certain validation information such as a time stamp, users' identity information, or the device information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,568 to Garfinkle is directed to a digital camera having an image processor that can communicate a picture (image) taken with the camera over a bus to a processor in a remote computer. The processor sends the image to a telecommunications link, such as a cell phone, which in turn sends the image to a designated electronic mailing address. The processor can be programmed to immediately transmit the image or delay transmission so the user can add information to the image being sent using the computer key board and computer mouse. While the camera has the capability for transmitting an image to a computer, it does not provide the ability to add descriptive information to the image when it is taken. This task is accomplished at a later time when the user has time to access the computer and label the images.
Published application Ser. No. 2005/0114459 to Tu et al. is directed to a photo distribution procedure. A photo source, such as a camcorder, digital camera, cell phone with photo capability, or a webcam, provides photo data to a device programmed to send the photo data to designated targets.
There are also services and software that can be utilized to assist cell phone users in simplifying and streamlining the process of uploading photos and videos from camera-equipped cell phones to remote locations.
According to ShoZu (formerly Ognima), software installed in a cell phone assists the user in transferring the images captured by the digital phone, camera to the user's video or photo sharing website using a single click. The ShoZu marketing information states that the user is provided with the ability to add titles, descriptions, and tags to the image before or after it is uploaded. If the phone is equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) capability, geo-tags can also be added to the transferred photo.
PixSense, Santa Clara, Calif., claims their patent pending compression software allows for high resolution digital images to be transferred, with a single click, from a mobile phone to a dedicated website. Based on their public announcements, the user must then access the website to add information to the images received at the dedicated website, because the desired information is not transferred with the images.
However, these existing processes are cumbersome for the user because they involve several steps, and they require time and various technologies to complete all the steps. Further, it is subject to faulty memory when the labels are added to the website images, and the legends applied may be tampered with or modified by the user or recipient. Therefore, there is a need for a simple, automated, user-friendly, and streamlined process that eliminates individual steps required for transmission, posting, and labeling of images captured by a remote digital photo device.
There is also a need for photo capture and transmission devices that provide enhanced device functionality while still maintaining a sufficient level of user-friendliness and ease-of-operation for the common consumer who may have a lesser level of technical sophistication. Additionally, for some purposes, the provenance and authenticity of images need to be guaranteed.
While various devices provide means to add some information to the image transmitted, no prior devices provide systems that enable a user to provide a recorded voice memo and then transmit, transcribe, and post a readable text to a website or other target posting location in real time. In addition, no system is known that enables a user to transmit and post a photo, or video, and an audio file captured from a remote device to a website in real time. Still further, there is no system which provides the capability to capture a photo image, transmit that image to designated targets in a secure manner and, at the same time, automatically identify the parameters of the image (time, date and location, etc.) and add electronically transmittable comments regarding the image.